1. Field of the Invention.
The invention relates to boat docks that are capable of being taken out of the water for off-season storage.
2. Description of the Related Art.
In many parts of the world, boating is a seasonal activity. Winter storms and freezing waters make it desirable to take boat docks out of the water to prevent damage. However, because of their shape and weight, docks are difficult to handle.
Some dock owners have floating docks. These docks must be dragged onto shore for storage, where they take up valuable yard space. Docks that do not float must typically be lifted out of the water for storage. With non-floating docks, the owner must get into the cold water every autumn to disassemble the dock by hand and haul it onto shore.
Also in the prior art, docks that are hinged at the shore end could be hoisted out of the water, but owners have had to locate their docks near a standing structure, like a tree. The owner passes a cable over a pulley attached to a tree, and attaches the end of the cable to the end of the dock. With the other end of the cable, the owner hoists the dock out of the water. The shortcoming of this procedure is that one can only place a dock near trees or other structures on shore.
If a dock was provided with a pole or other lifting structure to help lift the dock, the pole would have to be stored somewhere near the dock. It would take up valuable shoreline space if stored nearby. What is needed, therefore, is a seasonal dock that can be hoisted out of the water without the need to get wet, and having a lifting device that can be stowed within the dock itself.